Field
Cationic steroidal antimicrobials (“CSAs”) for treating certain diseases such as cancer and/or reducing cellular proliferation.
Description of the Related Art
Cancer is a term used for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and may invade other tissues. Cancer cells may also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems.
There are more than 100 different types of cancer, with most cancers named for the organ or type of cell in which they start. For example, cancer that begins in the colon may be referred to as colon cancer; cancer that begins in basal cells of the skin may be referred to as basal cell carcinoma. Common types of cancer in the United States are Bladder Cancer, Lung Cancer, Breast Cancer, Melanoma, Colon and Rectal Cancer, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Endometrial Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Leukemia, and thyroid Cancer.
Cancer types can also be grouped into broader categories. The main categories of cancer include: carcinoma—cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs; sarcoma—cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue; leukemia—cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood; lymphoma and myeloma—cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system; central nervous system cancers—cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.
Several techniques for treating cancer are known in the art. Such techniques include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, and transplantation. Each of these techniques, however, have undesirable side effects and varying success rates. Indeed, U.S. statistics for 2012 indicate that there will be an estimated 1,638,910 new cases of cancer (not including non-melanoma skin cancers) and 577,190 estimated deaths from cancer. Therefore, a need exists to develop new methods for treating cancer and/or diseases associated with cellular proliferation.